Thesis Format Guide - Qurtuba University of Science & Information ...

Thesis Format Guide
M.S / M. Phil & Ph. D.
Compiled By:
Mr. Nasir Shaheen
Additional Registrar
&
Mr. Ijaz Ahmad
Coordinator M. Phil / Ph. D Programs
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology,
Peshawar.

Table of Contents
Preface …………………………….………………………………………................ 1
1. Preliminary Section:
1.1 Title Page………………………………………………………………….…….... 2
1.2 Dedication and Acknowledgements………..……………….……………......…... 2
1.3 Preliminary Documents ……………………………...……………….................. 2
1.4 Table of Contents………………………………………………….………….…. 3
1.5 Abstract ………………………………………………………………………...… 2
2. Body of Thesis:
2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………….……... 4
2.2 Literature Review………………………………………………….…….…. 3
2.3 Methodology……………………………………………………….….…...... 4
2.4 Analysis / Data Analysis……………………………………………..….…...6
2.5 Findings & Recommendation ………………………………………….….. 7
2.6 References & Bibliography.…………… …………………………...….….. 8
3 Referencing & Citation - For Social Sciences
3.1 Handling Quotes In the Text ......................................................................9
3.2 In-Text Citation..............................................................................................9
3.3 Reference List: Books ..................................................................................10
3.4 Reference List: Articles............................................................................... 11
3.5 Reference List: Electronic Sources ............................................................. 12
3.6 Reference List: Media .................................................................................... 13
3.7 Reference List: General Reference Databases ............................ ........... 13
3.8 Reference List: General Subject Databases ............................................. 14
3.9 Reference List: Current/Controversial Issues ....................................... 15
3.10 Reference List: Subject-Specific Databases ............................................. 16
ii

4 Referencing & Citation For Literature and Linguistics
4.1 Books .......................................................................................................... 18
4.2 Journals and Newsapapers …………………………………………… 21
4.3 Electronic Publications …………………………………………………. 22
5 Formatting:
5.1 Pages Size………………………………………………………………… 24
5.2 Page Setup……………………………………………………………….. 24
5.3 Font ……………………………………………………………………… 24
5.4 Font Size…………………………………………………………………. 24
5.5 Headings and Sub Headings………………………………………….. 24
5.6 Paragraph Setting………………………………………………………. 24
5.7 Number of Copies………………………………………………………. 25
5.8 Binding…………………………………………………………………... 25
5.9 Soft Copy of Thesis……………………………………………………… 25
SAMPLE………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
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4

Preface
The thesis or dissertation is the single most important element of a research degree. It
is a test of the student’s ability to undertake and complete a sustained piece of independent
research and analysis, and to write up that research in a coherent form according to the
rules and conventions of the academic community.
As a rule, the main components of a research study are nearly the same in all
disciplines throughout the world. Though, various styles of referencing and citation are
used by the researchers in their research work i.e. APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Turabian
etc. Nonetheless, every established university develops its own customized format for its
students’ facilitation in presentation of research proposals and theses to make a significant
contribution in successful completion of M. S / M. Phil and Ph. D. research.
The purpose of this document is to outline the standard requirements and guidelines
that an M. S /M. Phil / PhD Thesis should adhere to in the area of organization and writing
skills in order to be accepted at Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology.
1

1 - Preliminary Section
1.1 Title Page:
The title page of the research thesis should include title of the research project, name
of the student (with degree name), full title of the university and date (month and
year) of submission.
(See Sample)
1.2 Approval Certificate:
Approval certificate should be attached after title page:
(See sample)
1.3 Dedication and / or Acknowledgements: (Optional)
These pages are optional.
numerals.
If included, they must be numbered with Roman
1.4 Table of Contents:
The Table of Contents must be placed before the text and any lists of tables,
figures, etc. It consists of section titles, chapter titles, and as many or few
subheadings as the author feels are necessary. The section and chapter titles listed on
the Table of Contents must exactly match the titles as they appear within the text.
The page numbers listed on the Table of Contents must correlate with the beginning
of each section or chapter.
Table of Contents entries are generally double-spaced. However, chapter titles and
subheadings, when more than one line long, should be indented at the second line
and single-spaced.
2

It is acceptable to have a minimal Table of Contents, consisting only of the
sections Text, Bibliography, and Vita with their respective page numbers if the
text itself has no divisible chapters or major sections.
No material preceding the table of contents should be enlisted in it i.e. Preliminary
Documents, Dedication etc,.
Note: All the pages of preliminary section should be without page numbers.
1.5 Abstract:
A short abstract is required say of a page or two. It is to be a compact description of
the research work.
3

2 - Body of Research Proposal / Synopsis
In general the main body of the research thesis includes the following chapters:
Chapter 01 – Introduction
Chapter 02 – Literature Review
Chapter 03 – Methodology
Chapter 04 – Data Analysis and / or Discussion
Chapter 05 – Results and Recommendations
However, some scholars may divide their thesis in sections with the above titles and further
divide each section into relevant chapters and present each subsection as a separate chapter.
In that case the number of chapters may increase.
2.1 Introduction: (Chapter 1)
It should provide a brief description with a view to introducing the area of research
and provide background information relating to the social / political / historical /
educational / organizational (etc) context of the study. This chapter may include the
following subsections:
2.1.1 Research Problem / Questions:
A concise research problem statement that, in one to three sentences, describes
specifically what the problem is that you intend to solve. It explains what problems
or issues you wish to explore and why you wish to explore them.
2.1.2 Research Objective:
The General /Global Objective should state the expected contribution of the research
to the general body of knowledge in the subject area. The Specific Objectives should
state how specifically the general objectives will be achieved.
2.1.3 Hypotheses (Optional):
The students may include hypothesis of the study depending on the nature of the
research. Hypotheses should be in the form of Null Hypothesis (H0) and Alternate
Hypothesis (H1).
2.1.4 Significance of the Study:
While documenting the significance of the research you need to indicate how your
research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge in the area under
investigation. Note that such refinements, revisions, or extensions may have
substantive, theoretical, or methodological significance.
4

The documentation of the significance of the study should among other things
address the following questions:
• What are the specific, significant, unique/major contributions that the
research work will make to the area/body of knowledge?
• What will be the practical implications/use of the results/outcome?
• How will the results/outcome of the study be implemented, including a
statement on its possible impact and on what innovations will come about
through its implementation (if any)?
• What areas/directions of further/subsequent research work are likely to
arise from the expected outcome/findings or results of the research study?
• What will be improved or changed as a result of the research work?
2.1.5 Limitation:
Document the weaknesses or the possible limitations of the results/outcome of the
research study and as well as the limitations of the approaches, procedures, methods
etc which have been adopted to achieve the results of the research study. Also to be
included are statements relating to issues, factors beyond the control of the study.
2.2 Literature Review: (Chapter 2)
A review of the relevant literature showing the work done previously in the area of
proposed research is essential to plan further research effectively. The information
given in the review should be supported by references. The function of the literature
review is to show your supervisor and the department that you are aware of
significant writers / researchers in the field, and to indicate which issues / topics you
will focus on in your review. You should demonstrate critical analysis and your
review should be shaped by your argument and should seek to establish your
theoretical orientation.
2.3 Methodology: (Chapter 3)
The Methodology section is very important because it documents how you plan to
tackle your research problem. Depending on the nature and the underlying
methodological approach which has been adopted for the research, the followings
may be documented in this section:
Research Design and Method
• Indicate which research design has been adopted/used (if any)
• Is the research QUANTITATIVE or QUALITATIVE in nature in terms of the
5

methodology?
• Discuss and justify your choice of research method
• Highlight and discuss the relevance of the adopted method to your study
• Describe how the adopted method is applied
Research Type
• Is the research Explorative, Descriptive, Causal or a Case study method?
Techniques / Tools /Approaches / Instrumentation/Devices
• Which techniques, tools/instruments, approaches etc have been adopted and
used to develop/produce, present/demonstrate the expected results of the
research.
• Highlight and discuss the relevance of these techniques /tools / instruments
/approaches to your study.
• Describe how these techniques/tools/ instruments or approaches have been
applied or used.
Data Collection Methods
• Clearly indicate whether you are going to use primary or secondary data
• Indicate what does primary or secondary data mean (i.e. provide a theoretical
perspective).
• Identify the secondary data which you are going to use for your study.
Population and Sampling Procedures (if applicable)
• Identify and document the population or reference for the study. In case of
different components of the population, clearly indicate this.
• Discuss the various sampling frames, types and techniques that will be.
adopted including an indication of the type of statistical data analysis that
will be carried out to analyze the results.
On the whole the guiding principle for writing the methodology section is that it
should contain sufficient information for the reader to determine whether the
methodology is sound. It may well be the longest section of your research.
6

2.4 Analysis / Data Analysis: (Chapter 4)
In this chapter the data is analyzed. Data may be analyzed quantitatively or
qualitatively depending on the level of measurement and the number of
dimensions and variables of the study. Analyze in depth to give meaning to the
data presented in the data presented in the table. Avoid table reading.
2.5 Summary, Conclusions And Recommendations: (Chapter 5)
2.5.1 Summary of Findings
• This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to the
questions raised). The recommended format is the paragraph form instead of
the enumeration form.
• For each of the problems, present:
• The salient findings,
• The results of the hypothesis tested
2.5.2 Conclusions
• These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the general and each of
the specific sub-problems.
• These contain generalized in relation to the population. These are general
inferences applicable to a wider and similar population.
• Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a must to state
conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence with the problems and the
findings as all variables can be subsumed in one paragraph.
• Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a macro-level or
vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).
2.5.3 Recommendations
• They should be based on the findings and conclusion of the study.
• Recommendations may be specific or general or both. They may include
suggestions for further studies.
• They should be in non-technical language.
• They should be feasible, workable, flexible, doable, and adaptable.
• An action plan is optional.
7

2.6 References & Bibliography: (Chapter 6)
A section listing relevant references on which the research proposal is based should
be included. Only references cited in the text are to be included in the reference list.
The students of Social Sciences should use APA style for citation while students of
Linguistics and Literature should use MLA Style for citation.
The student should add the relevant Bibliography in the last part after References in
alphabetical order. Endnotes should be given at the end of each chapter.
8

3 – Referencing and Citation: For Social Sciences
All the students of Social Sciences i.e. Management Sciences, Political Sciences, International
Relations and Education are required to use the following style of referencing and citation in
their proposals. (The basic concept is taken from APA style of referencing)
3.1 Handling Quotes in the Text
• Short quotations (fewer than 40 words) are incorporated into the text and
enclosed by double quotation marks (“ ”).
• Long quotations (more than 40 words) are typed in a double-spaced block with no
quotation marks. Indent five spaces and type the entire quotation on the indented
margin without the usual opening paragraph indentation. Give citation information
in parentheses ( ) after last sentence in block quotation, with no punctuation
following parentheses.
• If you have a quote within a short quote, enclose it in single quotation marks (‘ ‘).
• If you have a quote within a block quotation, enclose it in double quotation marks (“
”).
• Ellipsis points (…) are used to indicate material omitted from the body of a
quotation. If the omission is more than a sentence we are supposed to use five
ellipsis points.
3.2 In-Text Citation
Citations within the text of your paper refer the reader to an alphabetical reference list at
the end of the paper. APA format uses the author-date method of citation. The author’s
last name and the publication date are inserted at the appropriate point in the text,
following the material cited. Suffixes such as PhD. or Jr. are not included.
Works by a single author :
If the author is mentioned in the paper, provide the year of publication in ( ) just after the
name:
Ex: Hacking (1998) covers material on public record about chronic fatigue
syndrome.
If the author is not mentioned in the paper, at the end of the quote or paraphrase use the
author’s last name and the year, separated by a comma:
Ex: The article covers material on public record about chronic fatigue
syndrome (Hacking, 1998).
If both the author and the date are mentioned in the text, a parenthetical reference is not
needed. Ex: In a 1993 article, Gould explains Darwin’s most successful theory.
For exact quotations, cite specific page numbers following the year.
9

Ex: Emily Bronte “expressed increasing hostility for the world of human relationships,
whether sexual or social” (Taylor, 1988, p. 11).
For paraphrased passages, page numbers are encouraged, but not required. The year is
required.
For an online source with no pagination:
If page numbers are not provided on an electronic source, use the abbreviation “para.” to
indicate the paragraph location of direct quotes.
Ex: In exchange for that cooperation, authorities have recommended a sentence
of 15 years in prison (Hayes, 2009, para. 4).
Works by two authors:
Provide the last names of both authors. Use the word “and” to separate the names in the
sentence, and use an & to separate their names in the parenthetical citation.
Ex: As Sullivan and Thomas (1998) point out…
Ex: The turmoil in the Middle East is the result of politics (Sullivan & Thomas,
1998).
Works by more than two authors:
Use the last names of all authors in the first citation. Then, in all following citations,
include only the last name of the first author followed by “et al.”
Ex: Writing becomes better as the child matures (Britton, Thomas, & Miller, 1996). Ex:
According to Britton et al. (1996), a child s writing improves over time.
Works with no author identified:
When a work has no author identified, cite the first two or three words of the reference list
entry followed by the year. The first entry is usually the title. Italicize the title of a
periodical or book; use double quotation marks around the title of an article or chapter.
Ex: in the book Language Use (1991).
Ex: article on language use (“World languages,” 1993).
Secondary Resources:
When a work mentions another, previously published work, acknowledge the original
author in your text, but give the source you are using in the reference list. Use the phrase
“as cited in” for your in-text reference.
Ex: As Villa points out, “Perhaps the conflict seems so strong because the stakes
are so low” (as cited in Affleck, Allen, & Della, 1996).
Personal Communication (Including letters, e-mail, and interviews):
Do not add this information to your reference list. You should cite the information in text
only. Give the initials as well as the surname of the communicator, and provide an exact
date:
Ex: L.J. Smith (personal communication, September 20, 2009).
Ex: (A.N. Jones, personal communication, March 18, 2009).
10

-
3.3 Reference List: BOOKS
Note: In titles of books in the reference list, capitalize only the first word of the title,
the first word after a colon, and proper nouns.
Books by one
author
Books by two to
seven authors
(6.27)
Author’s name. (publication date). Title. City and state of publication: Publisher.
Ex: Alvarez, M. (1999). The trip within. New York, NY: Random House.
In-text citation: (Alvarez, 1999).
Author’s names in the order in which they appear. (date). Title of
publication. City and state: Publisher.
Ex: Strunk, W., Jr., Jones, T., & White, E.B. (1979). The elements of style
(3 rd ed.). New York, NY: Macmillan.
In-text citation: (Strunk, Jones, & White, 1979).
List the first six authors, then insert three ellipsis points, and add the last
Author’s name.
Books with 8 or
more authors
Ex: Engberg, M., Dugan, J. P., Haworth, J., Williams, T., Kelly, B.,
Johnson, W., … Stewart, S. (2009). Navigating the complexity of
higher education in preparation program administration. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
First in-text citation: (Engberg, Dugan, Haworth, Williams, Kelly,
Johnson, Smith, & Stewart, 2009).
Subsequent in-text citations: (Engberg, et al., 2009).
Books by a group,
institutional, or
corporate
authors
(7.03)
Books with Editors
Alphabetize group authors by the first significant word of the name.
(date). Title. City: Publisher (When the author and publisher are
the same, use the word “Author” as the name of the publisher).
Ex: Springhouse Corporation. (2002). Assessment made incredibly easy.
Springhouse, PA: Author.
In-text citation: (Springhouse Corporation, 2002).
For a book with an editor but no author, begin with the name of the editor
(or editors) followed by the abbreviation “Ed.” (or “Eds.” for more than
one editor) in parentheses.
Ex: Duncan, G.J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of
growing up poor. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
In-text citation: (Duncan & Brooks-Gunn, 1997).
11

For a book with a chapter
written by an author but
edited by another person
A book written by an
author but overseen by an
editor
Ex: Haybron, D.M. (2008). Philosophy and the science of subjective
well- being. In M. Eid & R.J. Larsen (Eds.), The science of subjective
well-being (pp. 17-43). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
In-text citation: (Haybron, 2008).
Cite as you normally would, but add information about the editor
in parentheses after the book title.
Ex: Plath, Sylvia. (2000). The unabridged journals (K.V. Kukil, Ed.).
New York, NY: Anchor.
In-text citation: (Plath, 2000).
3.4 Reference List: ARTICLES
Article or entry in a
reference book
(7.02)
Author’s name. (date). Title of chapter or entry. In Editors (Eds.), Title of
reference book. (Vol. #, pp.#). Location: Publisher.
Ex: Field, T. (2002). Child abuse and neglect. In A. Kazdin (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of psychology. (Vol. 2, pp. 61-65). Washington,
D.C.: Oxford.
In-text citation: (Field, 2002).
Ex: Schizophrenia. (1983). In A. Kazdin (Ed.), The encyclopedia of
psychology. (Vol. 10, p. 104). New York, NY: Wiley.
Articles in scholarly
journals and periodicals
paginated by volume
(7.01)
Articles in journals
paginated by issues
(7.01.7)
In-text citation: (Schizophrenia, 1983).
Scholarly journals are often published by volume, and page numbers
may continue throughout the year instead of beginning each issue
with page 1.
After the italicized title of the journal, give the volume number (also
italicized, but do not use Vol.) followed by the page numbers at the
end of the citation (do not use pp.)
Author(s). (date). Title of article. Title of Periodical or Journal, volume
#, page #s.
Ex: Spitch, M.L., Verzy, H.N., & Wilkie, D.M. (1993). Subjective
shortening: A model of pigeon s memory for event duration.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes,
9, 14-66.
In-text citation: (Spitch, Verzy, & Wilkie, 1993).
When each issue of a journal begins with page 1, include the issue
number in paranthesesAuthor. (date). Title of article. Title of
Journal, volume # (issue #), page #s.
Ex: Scruton, R. (1996). The eclipse of listening. The New Criterion,
12

Articles in magazines
(7.01.7)
Articles in newspapers
(7.01.7)
News magazines are usually published weekly or monthly. Note
the month (and date, if given), along with the year. Remember to
include volume and issue numbers if available.
Ex: Cortese, A. (1998, January 26). There’s more than one way to play
monopoly. Business Week, 3562(1), 36.
In-text citation: (Cortese, 1998).
Begin with the name of the author, if one is given, followed by the
year, month, and day of publication. Page numbers are introduced
with “p.” (or “pp.” for multiple pages).
Ex: Haney, D.Q. (1998, February 20). Finding eats at mystery
of appetite. The Oregonian, pp. A1, A17.
In-text citation: (Haney, 1998).
3.5 Reference List: ELECTRONIC SOURCES
(Including: Web sites, electronic books, Pro Quest, EBSCO host and other library
databases)
If you cannot find some of this information for your reference, cite what is
available.
Note: The updated guidelines for electronic sources state that the digital
object identifier number (DOI) must be included if one is assigned. “A DOI is
a unique alphanumeric string assigned by a registration agency to identify
content and provide a persistent link to its location on the Internet” (American
Psychological Association, 2010, 189).
Note: If a DOI is available, use it at the end of a citation. If it is not available,
use the URL of the web site from which the information was retrieved.
Note: Retrieval dates are only necessary if the information will prove
difficult to find again due to revision (ex. Wikis).
Note: Titles of documents or articles are not in italics and only the first word is
capitalized. Titles of journals and other periodicals are in italics and all major
words are capitalized. Titles of web sites are capitalized but not in italics.
13

Author(s). (Date of Publication). Title of document.
Retrieved from electronic address
Ex: Shiltz, T. (2002). Strategies for prevention and early
intervention of male eating disorders. Retrieved from
http://nationaleatingdisorders.org/p.asp?WebPage_ID=286&Profile_ID=
41172
Web site
(Not a periodical article)
Articles from an online
journal
(7.01)
Articles from an online
magazine
(7.01.8)
U.S. government report
from a government agency
Web site
(7.03.31)
In text citation: (Shiltz, 2002).
Ex: Butler, Heidi. (2009, November 19). Pennsylvania professor of
the year. Retrieved from
http://www.northampton.edu/Northampton- NOW/What-an-
Honor.htm
In text citation: When referring to a specific piece of
information, include paragraph numbers in the
reference.
Use “para.” Example: (Butler, 2003, paras. 2-3).
Author(s). (Year of Publication). Title of article. Journal Title,
Volume Number (Issue Number), pages if available. Retrieved from
electronic address
Ex: Royce, W.S., Gebelt, J.L., & Duff, R.W. (2003). Female athletes:
Being both athletic and feminine. Athletic Insight, 5(1), 56-
62.
Retrieved from
http://www.athleticinsight.com/VOL5Iss1/FeminineAthl
etes.htm
In text citation: (Royce, Gebelt, & Duff, 2003).
Author(s). (Date of Publication). Title of article. Title of Magazine,
Volume Number (if given) (Issue Number), page(s).
Retrieved from electronic address.
Ex: Rauch, J. (2002, May). The marrying kind. The Atlantic Online,
289(5). Retrieved from
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/05/rauch.htm
In text citation: (Rauch, 2002).
Ex: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. (2002). ATF
accountability report, 2001. Retrieved from
http://www.atf.gov/pub/gen_pub/2001annrpt/fy2001an
nrpt.pdf
In text citation: First citation: (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
and Firearms [ATF], 2002).
Second and subsequent citations: (ATF, 2002).
An online video
(7.11)
Ex: Norton, R. (2006, November 4). How to train a cat to operate a
light switch [Video file]. Retreived from
14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vja83KLQXZs
A blog post
(7.11)
In-text citation: (Norton, 2006).
Ex: Grohol, J.M. (2009, November 17). The psychology of terrorism
[Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/11/17/thepsychology-of-terrorism/
In-text citation: (Grohol, 2009).
Author(s). (Year of publication). Title [information about format or
version if available]. doi or website that document was
retrieved from.
Online Book (E-Book)
(7.02)
Ex: Thompson, Art. (1997). The stompbox. Retrieved from
http://www.netlibrary.com/
In text citation: (Thompson, 1997).
Ex: Schinraldi, G.R. (2001). The post-traumatic stress disorder
sourcebook: A guide to healing, recovery, and growth [Adobe
Digital Editions version]. doi: 10.1036/0071393722
In text citation: (Schinraldi, 2001).
3.6 Reference List: MEDIA
Single episode from
television series (7.07)
Video (7.07)
Ex: Astrof, J. & Ottesen, P. (Writers), & Burrows, J. (Director).
(1994).
The one with the blackout [Television series episode]. In K.
Bright, M. Kauffman, & D. Crane (Executive producers),
Friends. Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
In-text citation: (Astrof, Ottesen, & Burrows, 1994).
Ex: Thomas, J. & McLaren, M. (Producers), & Linklater, R.
(Director).
(2006). Fast Food Nation [DVD]. Beverly Hills, CA: Twentieth
Century Fox Home Entertainment.
In-text citation: (Thomas, McLaren, & Linklater, 2006).
15

3.7 Reference List: GENERAL REFERENCE DATA BASES
Please note: The name of the database used and the date the article was retrieved is no longer
needed.
Including:
Britannica Online,
Credo Reference, and
Gale Virtual Reference
Library
Child care. (2001). In World of Sociology, Gale.
Retrieved from
http://www.credoreference.com
In text citation: (“Child care,” 2001).
Steinberg, Laurence. (2001). Parent-child
relationships. In B. Strickland (Ed.), The Gale
encyclopedia of psychology (2 nd ed., pp. 473-
477). Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com
In text citation: (Steinberg, 2001)
3.8 Reference List: GENERAL SUBJECT DATA BASES
General reference format: Author, A.A., Author, B.B.,
& Author, C.C. (year). Title of article. Title of
periodical, xx, pp-pp. doi: xx.xxxxxxxxxx
Please note: If there is not a digital object identification
number (DOI), include the home page of the database in
the reference. Use this format: Retrieved from
http://www...
Including:
Pro Quest Central
and EBSCOhost
Examples (without DOI):
Edmondson, J. (2002). The will of the people. The
Reading Teacher, 55(5), 452-454. Retrieved from
http://proquest.umi.com
In text citation: (Edmondson, 2002).
Saldinger, A., Cain, A., & Porterfield, K. (2003,
Summer). Managing traumatic stress in
children anticipating parental death.
Psychiatry, 66(2), 168. Retrieved from
http://proquest.umi.com
In text citation: First citation: (Saldinger,
Cain, & Porterfield, 2003).
Subsequent citations: (Saldinger et al., 2003).
Example (with DOI):
Fox, K., Gover, A., & Kaukinen, C. (2009). The
effects of low self-control and childhood
maltreatment on stalking victimization among
men and women. American Journal of Criminal
Justice, 34(3/4), 181-197. doi:10.1007/s12103-
009-9064-4
In text citation: (Fox, Gover & Kaukinen, 2009
16

3.9 Reference List: CURRENT/CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES DATA BASES
CQ Researcher
Clemmitt, M. (2009, August 28). Health-care reform. CQ
Researcher, 19, 693-716. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com
In-text citation: (Clemmitt, 2009)
(magazine—“Issues and Controversies”)
Child care. (2009, October 22). Issues and Controversies on File.
Retrieved from http://www.2facts.com
In-text citation: (“Child care,” 2009)
Facts on File
(magazine—“Today’s Science”)
A reverse on reverse revolution? (2009, November). Today’s Science.
Retrieved from http://www.2facts.com
In-text citation: (“A reverse on reverse revolution?,” 2009)
(“World News Digest”)
Swine flu: U.S. begins vaccinations. (2009, October 15). Facts on File
World News Digest. Retrieved from http://www.2facts.com
In-text citation: (“Swine flu,” 2009)
Horrigan, J.B. (2003). The Internet fosters online communities. In J.D.
Torr (Ed.), Current Controversies: The Information Age (n.p.).
San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Retrieved from
http://find.galegroup.com
In-text citation: (Horrigan, 2003)
Opposing View points
ACLU urges Senate committee. (1999). In T. ONeill (Ed.), Opposing
Viewpoints Digests Series: Biomedical Ethics (n.p.). San
Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Retrieved from
http://find.galegroup.com
In-text citation: (“ACLU urges Senate committee,” 1999).
Epstein, E. (2005, March 23). Left and right united to challenge
Patriot Act provisions. San Francisco Chronicle, p. A3.
Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com
In-text citation: (Epstein, 2005)
17

3.10 Reference List: SUBJECT-SPECIFIC DATA BASES
Access Science
Ex: Stack, S.M. & Anderson, L.K. Chromosome.
doi:10.1036/1097-8542.134900
In text citation: (Stack & Anderson, 2000).
The African American
Experience
Ex: Loucky, J., Armstrong, J., & Estrada, L.J. (2006).
Asylum. In Immigration in America today: An
encyclopedia (n.p.). Westport, CT: Greenwood
Press. Retrieved from http://aae.greenwood.com
In text citation: (Loucky, Armstrong, & Estrada,
2006).
Author(s). (Date of Publication). Title of report (Accession
No. xx). Location: Publisher. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com
ERIC
Ex: Unruh, D., Bullis, M., Todis, B., Waintrup, M., Atkins,
T., & National Center on Secondary Education and
Transition. (2007). Programs and practices for
special education students in alternative education
settings (Accession No. ED495869). Research to
Practice Brief 6(1). National Center on Secondary
Education and Transition (NCSET), University of
Minnesota. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com
First in text citation: (Unruh, Bullis, Todis,
Waintrup, Atkins, & National Center on Secondary
Education and Transittion, 2001).
Subsequent citations: (Unruh et al., 2001).
Ex: Dunlap, G., & Bunton-Pierce, M. (1999). Autism and
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Accession No.
Washington, D.C.: Office of
Special
ED436068).
Education and Rehabilitative Services (ED).
Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com
In text citation: (Dunlap & Bunton-Pierce, 1999).
18

History Databases: US
Ex: O’Brien, P. (2000). Viewpoint: Yes, internment of
Japanese Americans was necessary for national
security because some of them were suspected of
disloyalty (Document No. BT2306200089). In R.J.
Allison (Ed.), History in dispute: Vol.3. American
social and political movements, 1900-1945.
Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. Retrieved from
http://galenet.galegroup.com
In-text citation: (O’Brien, 2000).
Hoover’s Online
Ex: Murray, B. (n.d.). Just Born Inc. Retrieved from
http://premium.hoovers.com
In-text citation: (Murray, n.d.).
CINAHL
Ex: Frame, K. (2003). Empowering preadolescents with
ADHD: Demons or delights (Accession No.
2003096143). Advances in Nursing Science 26(2),
131-139. Retrieved from search.ebscohost.com
In-text citation: (Frame, 2003).
PsycArticles
Ex: Alderfer, C. P. (2003). The science and nonscience of
Psychologists’ responses to The Bell Curve.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
34(3). 287-293. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.34.3.287
In-text citation: (Alderfer, 2003).
PubMed Central
Ex: Weiss, M., & Murray, C. (2003). Assessment and
management of attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder in adults. Canadian Medical Association
Journal 168(6). 715-722. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
In-text citation: (Weiss & Murray, 2003).
Westlaw Campus
Ex: Lobel, J. (2002). The war on terrorism and civil
liberties. University of Pittsburgh Law Review.
Retrieved from http://campus.westlaw.com
In-text citation: (Lobel, 2002).
19

4 – Referencing and Citation – For Literature and Linguistics
Reference citation in the text should be as follows. The citation should be as brief as
possible while directing the reader to the correct reference.
• Single author
Simply use Name followed by any relevant page number: (Marcuse 197)
In text: Tannen has argued this point (178–85)
• More than one author with same name
Add the first initial (or full first name if initial is the same): (A. Patterson 183;
L. Patterson 230)
• Two or three authors
Give all author names: (Rabking, Greenberg, and Olander vii)
• More than three authors
Follow the bibliographic entry: (Lauter et al. 2425) or all last names if given
4.1 Books
A Book by a Single Author
Fukuyama, Francis. Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution.
New York: Farrar, 2002.
An Anthology or a Compilation
Lopate, Phillip, ed. The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to
the Present. New York: Anchor-Doubleday, 1994.
Spafford, Peter, comp. and ed. Interference: The Story of Czechoslovakia in the Words of
Its Writers. Cheltenham: New Clarion, 1992.
Two or More Books by the Same Author
(Use three hyphens followed by period and then title, or comma and ed. … if necessary)
Borroff, Marie. Language and the Past: Verbal Artistry in Frost, Stevens, and Moore. Chicago:
U of Chicago P, 1979.
---, trans. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New York: Norton, 1967.
---, ed. Wallace Stevens: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice, 1963.
20

A Book by Two or More Authors
Eggins, Suzanne, and Diana Slade. Analysing Casual Conversation. London: Cassell, 1997.
If there are more than three authors, you may name only the first and add et al. (“and
others”), or you may give all names in full in the order in which they appear on the title
page.
Gilman, Sander, et al. Hysteria beyond Freud. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993.
Or
Gilman, Sander, Helen King, Roy Porter, George Rousseau, and Elaine Showalter.
Hysteria beyond Freud. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993.
Repeat names in full if the same person is part of a different authorship. Do not use
three hyphens unless the total authorship is the same
A Book by a Corporate Author
American Medical Association. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine.
Ed. Charles B. Layman. New York: Random, 1989.
A Work in an Anthology
Allende, Isabel. “Toad’s Mouth.” Trans. Margaret Sayers Peden. A Hammock beneath the
Mangoes: Stories from Latin America. Ed Thomas Colchie. New York: Plume, 1992.
83–88.
Often the works in anthologies have been published before. If you wish to inform your
reader of the date when a previously published piece other than a scholarly article first
appeared, you may follow the title of the piece with the year of original publication
and a period.
Franklin, Benjamin. “Emigration to America.” 1782. The Faber Book of America. Ed.
Christopher Ricks and William L. Vance. Boston: Faber, 1992. 24–26.
An Article in a Reference Book
“Noon”. The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.
Mohanty, Jitendra M. “Indian Philosophy.” The New Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropaedia.
15th ed. 1987.
An Introduction, a Preface, a Foreword or an Afterword
Borges, Jorge Luis. Foreword. Selected Poems, 1923–1967. By Borges. Ed. Norman
Thomas Di Giovanni. New York: Delta-Dell, 1973. xv–xvi.
If the introduction, preface, foreword, or afterword has a title, give the title, enclosed in
21

quotation marks, immediately before the name of the part.
Brodsky, Joseph. “Poetry as a Form of Resistance to Reality.” Foreword. Winter
Dialogue . By Tomas Venclova. Trans. Diana Senechal. Evanston: Hydra-
Northwestern UP, 1997. vii– xviii.
An Anonymous Book
Encyclopedia of Virginia. New York: Somerset, 1993.
A Translation
Beowulf. Trans. E. Talbot Donaldson. Ed. Nicholas Howe. New York: Norton, 2001.
Hildegard of Bingen. Selected Writings. Trans. Mark Atherton. New York: Penguin, 2001.
A Book Published in a Second or Subsequent Edition
Bondanella, Peter. Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present. 3rd ed. New York:
Continuum, 2001.
A Multivolume Work
Blanco, Richard L., ed. The American Revolution, 1775–1783: An Encyclopedia. 2 vols.
Hamden: Garland, 1993.
Crane, Stephen. The University of Virginia Edition of the Works of Stephen Crane. Ed. Fredson
Bowers. 10 vols. Charlottesville: UP of Virginia, 1969–76.
If you are using one volume of a multivolume work state the number of the volume:
Lawrence, D. H. The Letters of D. H. Lawrence. Ed. James T. Boulton. Vol. 8. New York:
Cambridge UP, 2000.
A Book in a Series
Neruda, Pablo. Canto General. Trans. Jack Schmitt. Latin Amer. Lit. and Culture 7.
Berkeley: U of California P, 1991.
A Republished Book
Atwood, Margaret. The Blind Assassin. 2000. New York: Knopf-Random, 2001.
A Book with Multiple Publishers
Wells, H. G. The Time Machine. 1895. London: Dent; Rutland: Tuttle, 1992.
A Government Publication
Great Britain. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. Dept. of the Environment,
Transport, and the Regions. Our Countryside, the Future: A Fair Deal for Rural
England. London: HMSO, 2000.
New York State. Commission on the Adirondacks in the Twenty-First Century. The
Adirondack Park in the Twenty-First-Century. Albany: State of New York, 1990.
22

Poore, Benjamin Perley, comp. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Government Publications of
the United States, September 5, 1774–March 4, 1881. US 48th Cong., 2nd sess. Misc.
Doc. 67. Washington: GPO, 1885.
The Published Proceedings of a Conference
Hualde, Jose Ignacio. “Patterns of Correspondence in the Adaptation of Spanish
Borrowings in Basque.” Proceedings of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the
Berkeley Linguistics Society, February 12–15, 1999: General Session and Parasession on
Loan Word Phenomena. Ed. Steve S. Chang, Lily Liaw, and Josef Ruppenhofer.
Berkeley: Berkeley Linguistics Soc., 2000. 348–58.
Freed, Barbara F., ed. Foreign Language Acquisition Research and the Classroom. Proc.
of Consortium for Lang. Teaching and Learning Conf., Oct. 1989, U of
Pennsylvania. Lexington: Heath, 1991.
An Unpublished Dissertation
Boyle, Anthony T. “The Epistemological Evolution of Renaissance Utopian
Literature, 1516– 1657.” Diss. New York U, 1983.
A Published Dissertation
Dietze, Rudolf F. Ralph Ellison: The Genesis of an Artist. Diss. U Erlangen-Nürnberg, 1982.
Erlanger Beiträge zur Sprach- und Kunstwissenschaft 70. Nürnberg: Carl, 1982.
4.2 Journals and Newspapers
An Article in a Journal with Continuous Pagination
Hanks, Patrick. “Do Word Meanings Exist?” Computers and the Humanities 34 (2000):
205–15. Mann, Susan. “Myths of Asian Womanhood.” Journal of Asian Studies 59 (2000):
835–62.
An Article in a Journal that pages each issue separately
Albada, Kelly F. “The Public and Private Dialogue about the American Family on
Television.”
Journal of Communication 50.4 (2000): 79–110.
Some journals do not use volume numbers at all, numbering issues only. Treat the issue
numbers of such journals as you would volume numbers.
23

An Article in a Newspaper
Jeromack, Paul. “This Once, a David of the Art World Does Goliath a Favor.” New York
Times 13 July 2002, late ed.: B7+.
Abbreviate months as follows: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct.,
Nov., Dec.
An Article in a Magazine
Mehta, Pratap Bhanu. “Exploding Myths.” New Republic 6 June 1998: 17–19.
An Anonymous Article
“Dubious Venture.” Time 3 Jan. 1994: 64–65.
A Special Issue
Perret, Delphine, and Marie-Denise Shelton, eds. Maryse Conde. Spec. issue of Callaloo 18.3
(1995): 535–711.
Somin, Ilya. “Do Politicians Pander?” State Autonomy. Spec. issue of Critical Review
14.2–3 (2000): 147–55.
A Legal Source
New York Times Co. v. Tasini. No. 00-201. Supreme Ct. of the US. 25 June 2001.
4.3 Electronic Publications
Basic Entry Document from Internet Site
Zeki, Semir. “Artistic Creativity and the Brain.” Science 6 July 2001: 51–52. Science
Magazine. 2002. Amer. Assn. For the Advancement of Science. 24 Sept. 2002
.
Entire Internet Site
Electronic Text Center. Ed. David Seaman. 2002. Alderman Lib., U of Virginia. 19 June 2002
.
Online Books
Nagata, Linda. Goddesses. 2000. Scifi.com. 4 Oct. 2002
.
Keats, John. “Ode on a Grecian Urn.” Poetical Works. 1884. Bartleby.com: Great Books Online.
Ed. Steven van Leeuwen. 2002. 5 May 2002
.
United States. Dept. of Justice. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Law
Enforcement and Juvenile Crime. By Howard N. Snyder. Dec. 2001. 29 June 2002
.
24

Online Periodicals
Butler, Darrell L., and Martin Sellbom. “Barriers to Adopting Technology for Teaching
and Learning.” Educause Quarterly 25.2 (2002): 22–28. Educause. 3 Aug. 2002
.
Publications on CD-ROM, Diskette or Magnetic Tape
It is important to state the publication medium as different formats may be different.
Braunmuller, A. R., ed. Macbeth. By William Shakespeare. CD-ROM. New York: Voyager,
1994.
E-mail Communication
Harner, James L. E-mail to the author. 20 Aug. 2002.
25

5 - Formatting and Presentation
5.1 Page Size and Quality:
AA4 (A4-Fine paper) should be used for thesis. Minimum paper weight
should be 80 grams.
5.2 Page Setup / Margins:
At least 1¼ -1½ inches (3.17-3.81cm) on the right-hand side, 3/4 - 1 inch (2 -
2.54cm) at the bottom of the page, and about ½ - 0.75 inches (1.27 - 1.90cm)
at the outer edge.
5.3 Page Numbering:
5.4 Font:
The best position for the page number is at bottom-centre. Pages containing
figures and illustration should be suitably paginated.
New Times Roman font should be used throughout the thesis composition.
5.5 Font Size:
Title Page
16-20 (Bold)
Chapter Titles
16 (Bold)
Headings
14 (Bold)
Sub Headings
12 (Bold)
Text 12
Footnotes / End notes 10
Endnotes be given at the end of each chapter
5.6 Paragraph Setting:
Line spacing should be 1.5 and all the paragraph should be justified (Ctrl +
J). No tab is required at the starting of a new paragraph. Use one line space
between paragraphs for differentiation.

5.7 Number of Copies & Binding:
The students are required to submit 4 copies in hard binding (as per Deputy
Controller Exam’s directive) for external evaluation and internal record
purpose.
5.8 Binding & Cover Color:
The M. S / M. Phil thesis cover should be in blue color with golden color of
fonts and Ph. D thesis should be in black color cover with golden fonts.
5.9 Submission of Soft Copy of thesis:
The students are required to submit a soft copy of their thesis in Compact
Disk (CD) to the examination department for plagiarism test and record
purpose.
27

Title of the Thesis [16-20 pt, Bold, Title Case]
Ph. D Dissertation / M. Phil Thesis
By
[Scholar’s Full Official Name]
Department of [Department Name]
Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology
D.I. Khan (Pakistan)
(Year)
28

Approval Certificate
This is to certify that the dissertation submitted by ………. (Scholar Name), is of
sufficient standard to justify its acceptance by Department of ……. (Department
Name), Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, D. I. Khan, for the
award of Degree of ………… (Master of Philosophy / Doctor of Philosophy).
______________________
Dr……………………………
Supervisor
External Examiners:
1. ________________________
Dr. …………………………..
2. ________________________
Dr……………………………
29

Dedication
This page is optional
30

Acknowledgements
(An optional Page)
31

Table of Contents
Abstract ……………………………………………………………………... 1
1. Introduction…………………………………..…………………………...… 3
1.1 Research Problem / Question…..………………………….……..…….... 3
1.2 Research Objective………………………………………………..…….. 4
1.3 Hypothesis (Optional)..…………………………………….……...……. 7
1.4 Methodology…………………………………………………….…...….. 12
1.5 Significance of the study……………………………………….……...… 16
1.6 Scope and Limitations………………………………………………….. ..25
32

Chapter – 01
INTRODUCTION
The body of the thesis should start with proper headings and sub-headings as per suggested
standard format.
33